THE FRAGRANT BEADS

THE FRAGRANT BEADS 

O Mary, My Blessed Mother, I come to You with a sorrowful, contrite heart. I lift up my rosary and heart, to You, in compassionate offerings of my inner self. I recognize your need, your heavy heart of sorrow— the sorrow that carries the wounds of Thy Son, long embedded within your Immaculate Heart. Take this heart of mine, immerse it into your compassionate reservoir; for I speak to You, from my heart and soul, from no other place—for the mind cannot justify, what I feel within me, for You. You found me in the flower garden, caressing each flower, as I moved along. You saw me, spend time here, inhaling all the fragrance, infatuated by the many, flower faces; but it is here, when I came to the roses, and kissed each one—did You now know, where my heart, had ascended? So full of love, and compassion, was this heart, I picked roses, and left them, for You. My heart, is so sad for You, and I express this, with my inner sentiments. For You are my Blessed Mother, and as a child, I come to You, to give You comfort, to give You, moments of joy. 

I am, but one impulse, of many, many impulses of the rosary. And in these moments with thy rosary, each bead is, but a rose. Each bead, is your heart. Each bead, is your face. Each blossom, the fragrance of your presence. Each prayer with your rosary, is inhaling Your Sorrow, wiping away each tear. Each rose, of the rosary, is one more step, to heaven. All my prayers, reach for You, uplifting to heaven, to your Immaculate Heart, implanting my name, into the Divine Heart of Mercy, of your Son. 

How else, could so many prayers, do so much, to take away so much pain? I comfort You, with each bead of prayer, each step of the way. Each breath I take, is floated upward with compassion of prayer: Hail Mary, full of grace. Each rosary, is a journey through a rose garden; to embrace its beauty, takes time—for a rose of the rosary, enhances tone of prayer, with fragrance, reverence, and compassion. 

I walk with You, four times around: 20 decades, in all. With sorrow, and joy, my heart empties—my tears falling on the roses, along the way. Each bead, is your hand; I hold them softly, as we walk hand in hand, on to the next. 

It is this throbbing heart of compassion, that flows from me, and gently, rests upon your veil. This, time with You, is precious. I hesitate, to let your hand go. For in these moments, your sorrow was suppressed, and joy, flourished with brilliance of roses, that surround your feet. For, the impulse of the rosary, is the flowing grace, from your very self. It is, your very heart: a heart, that beckons for all a calling—a calling, of love. I hold you close to me, with this rosary, of your presence—the beads, that call out your name: Hail Mary, full of grace. I offer them to you, to distribute, here and there. Each bead of the rosary—each prayer—a rose. Each rose, a gift. Each gift, a treasure of presence. 

How can anyone walk so fast, to lose sight of you, or forget with distraction, what you look like? For each rose, is your face of beauty, embraced with love. And love is slow and gentle—never to be hurried. For love—like the purity, of a child’s heart—speaks softly, and brings gifts of joy. With thy rosary, each bead reflects my gifts: I love You! I love You! Hail Mary, Full of Grace, I love You!

Robert J. Varrick

rvarrick@cox.net